Property
Goat Hay Rack
I presented Jeff with two hay rack plans: one off the internet and one from the book, Natural Goat Care. But they were just ideas to get Jeff’s creative juices flowing. We figured we needed a hay rack, because otherwise the goats would eat their (expensive) alfalfa hay in a big bin in the center of the barn. Most of it would end up on the floor. After Jeff thought awhile, he decided to part ways from the plans and do it his own way.
In The Nick of Time
We worked from sunup to sundown Saturday and Sunday, and then from noon to past dark on Monday, to finish our barn. Or at least get it done enough to keep the animals dry and shelter the remaining water and electrical work ahead of us.
Pole Barn Continues…
Last weekend, even though it was rainy and muddy, we got much done. On Friday, our siding arrived. It is not a perfect color match. 
We weren’t too concerned about matching the color. This is what was available to us, so it is what we got. Actually, I kind of like the color block look. What concerns us is that should we sell our property someday, we hope people won’t be turned away by the colors. On Saturday…
Setting Posts
Our barn project is moving along. We’re putting in a new water system and closing in the pole barn, with sides. Jeff and our friend have been working on the plumbing once a week for several weeks, which they finished yesterday. Next week they’ll begin the electrical. Jeff asked me to help him set posts on Saturday. And I really didn’t want to. What I expected would be hours of just holding up 16 foot posts turned into exactly that. About 4 hours of holding up posts. It was hard on the arms, let me tell you! But suprisingly, I enjoyed being outside working with him. It was a pretty nice day and it felt good to help with the project.
Jeff’s Style
This is the bed that Jeff made for the water storage tank. It shows one of the many reasons I love him – his style. Wood, wood, wood, wood, wood.
Placement of the Water Storage Tank
This video shows how Jeff placed the 2500 gallon water storage tank, part of our new barn project. It must be in before the walls can be added to the barn. What’s remarkable about this is that Jeff was stumped about how to lift the tank high enough to put it on the bed of sand. Mikah and Naomi came up with the solution to use the tractor from below (you’ll see it in stage 2 of the placement). The project took 2 days. Naomi was the videographer.
Burning Brush Pile
Saturday, we had friends over. The guys and kids worked on a burning brush pile. Even though Jeff had in mind three piles for burning, they only got to one of them. The monster pile (pictured) proved very difficult to start ablaze. It was totally covered with blackberry vines that had grown over it in [...]
We Have Shelter
Over the weekend, Jeff and the kids cleared out the middle bay of the barn for the animals to take shelter. The outer bays hold the tractor, box scraper, and hay. We really needed to do this. For the last few weeks of rain, the animals have been sheltering in the shop, or heaven-forbid, under [...]
Out to Pasture
Since the front pastures were weed-wacked by a friend, we’ve been enjoying the view more. Now we look out the windows to the joyful sight of happy animals munching and wandering looking for choice weeds. Prior to this, we couldn’t get the panoramic aspect because of the tall grasses obscuring the view.
The goats and the [...]
Mikah’s 8th Birthday ~ Happy Birthday, My Son!
We celebrated Mikah’s 8th birthday yesterday. He picked the menu. He said the day didn’t turn out quite as he expected. He had really hyped it up in his mind! The expectation of having a birthday isn’t quite the same as the reality of a birthday, where you’re special and pampered, yes, but nothing earth-shattering [...]
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